Contemporary views on the Louis that faced Marciano

Yes, they though that Joe Louis would be a significant test for a crude, artless mauler whose only notable wins were an extremely controversial decision over another unproven prospect (LaStarza) and a stoppage of an unskilled contender (Rex Layne).

The fact that the odds were so close is telling.

 

So if they didn't think that Louis was a serious test, you will say that it was an insignificant win, but if they did think that he was a significant test, you will use that as evidence that Marciano was not very good.

It is almost as if you are not trying to be particularly fair here!

 

I’m not using it as evidence of anything. I’m just reminding you of the context in which those odds were set.

 

To that extent you are right.

Many questioned the quality of Marciano's previous opposition.

Beating Louis was seen as a significant boost to his credibility, and it prompted immediate calls for Ezzard Charles to give him a shot at the title.

 

I can not used this fight to base prime on prime because we had a some what green Marciano vs a past prime Louis. Yes Louis was beating contenders and gunning for a title shot, and Marciano has not really step up yet. For me, I think prime wise, Marciano was a year off. I think Rocky reach his peak by the time he fought Walcott for the title. You can see in the Louis fight, Marciano was not as good as bobbing and weaving as he would show 4 or so years later vs Moore.

 

I understand that but forever hardcore Marciano fans refuse to acknowledge this fact and if it is positioned as this you're labeled a Marciano hater .. silly.

 

The hardcore Marciano fans are not the ones creating the endless threads about him, and never have been.

Who do you think the real fanatics are here?

 

Your comment is misguided, and your foul language is unnecessary.

 

Your whole mentality is misguided and disrespectful.

 

Say what you want but better wins then 99 percent of decent contenders. Doesn’t matter if he beat God because he faced Marciano you’d say God was past it.

 

Also, god was an overrated old timer anyway!

That is the only reason Marciano got away with the 0!

 

Joe was only 37, not peak, but not a pushover at all. He had won many fights before this and was a contender.

This was a legit win, and Rocky would have also beaten Joe in his prime. In a 3-fight series Joe would win the second fight but get demolished in the third.

Joe even said himself Rocky would have beaten him. He mentioned his one weakness was crowders, and that was what Rocky did better than anyone. Rocky was NOT the favorite in this fight, because he looked deceptively easy to beat. He made all fighters, even the greats look old and washed up, because Rocky was awkward and threw people off their rhythm.

This was all Rocky, all day. He was better than people want to admit.

 

lol

 

Argue about it with Joe Louis himself.

Joe Louis once said that if they had fought in their primes, he wouldn’t have fought as defensively as he did as they did in 1951, and that in doing so he’d have been opening himself up to Marciano much more than he did in their fight. He said, after fighting Marciano, that would have been a big mistake and that Marciano would have knocked him out earlier than the eight rounds it took in 1951